Tennis is a well known game played on a generally standardized court. The tennis court usually comprises a rectangular playing area bounded by two spaced apart end lines which are connected together by side lines. In fact, each side of the tennis court is usually provided with two parallel side lines, a singles line used for singles play and a doubles line used for doubles play, i.e. when either one or two players are playing together on the same side, respectively. This playing area is bisected across the middle thereof by the tennis net. The tennis net can have various forms, but customarily includes a net strung under tension between two relatively permanent end posts. These posts are most often set at a location outside of the doubles line on the court.
Under the formal rules of tennis, as set out by the various governing bodies thereof, the tennis net must have a particular height at various points along its length. For example, the low point of the tennis net is usually at the center thereof where it is cinched by a strap fixed to the court to attain the correct height. The net slopes gradually upwardly from this center point until it reaches the other support points for the net, namely the end posts. As a practical matter, the height of the end posts is chosen so that when the net crosses the doubles line it will have the correct height above the ground to satisfy the rules of play for doubles. Unfortunately, this same net orientation used for doubles play does not work for singles play since the height of the net as it crosses the singles line is too low.
Because it is most desirable to have a single tennis court that can be used for both singles and doubles play, the problem for adjusting the tennis net to regulation height for singles play has been solved by using what is known as a singles stick. This stick is simply an elongated member or board having a notch in the top which is jammed between the tennis net and the ground. This is usually done at a predetermined location outside the singles court with the singles stick being of a sufficient height so that it will raise the top of the net the amount necessary to convert it to regulation singles play, i.e. the height of the net above the ground at the singles line will be exactly correct. Thus, most tennis courts are built with the end posts and the net normally being set for doubles play with singles sticks being used when necessary to convert to regulation singles play.
While singles sticks are effective for the purpose for which they are intended, namely converting the net from doubles to singles play, they have a number of disadvantages. For one thing, they are somewhat difficult to properly place requiring a fairly exact measurement to determine the proper location on the court for placing the singles stick, i.e. the distance which the singles stick should be placed outside the singles court. While marks could be placed on the court's surface to aid this location, such marks disappear over time and the users of the singles sticks are often forced to simply measure each time the singles stick is used. When a court is frequently converted from singles to doubles play, the need for precise measurement is a nuisance. Moreover, most conventional singles sticks are simply jammed between the net and the ground and are thus prone to being struck by stray tennis balls and dislodged. This of course requires a remeasurement and reinsertion of the singles stick. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, singles sticks are very easily lost as are all pieces of unattached equipment. Thus, whenever it is desired to play regulation singles, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to find singles sticks at the club or location at which one is playing. Moreover, at a public court, where such singles sticks would not ordinarily be kept, each group of tennis players would usually have to bring their own sticks to be sure of having them on hand.
Applicant is aware of some patents relating to improved singles sticks, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,291,875 and 4,440,393 to Smith. These patents disclose a singles stick split into two parts so that the stick can be placed on opposite sides of the tennis net and bolted together using suitable fasteners. This enables the singles stick to more securely grip the net, and thus not be as prone to being dislodged by stray balls, and also seeks to raise the net height without in any way deforming the net from its vertical plane. However, such a singles stick would have to be removed from the net to reconvert it to doubles play and as such is as prone to being lost as are the other prior art sticks. Moreover, precise measurement and installation is required each time the singles stick is to be used. Finally, this singles stick would take even more time to install and remove than the others shown in the prior art, which simply require a wedging action between the tennis net and the ground, since various threaded fasteners such as wing nuts must be secured.